Charles Kewish Posted November 1, 2022 Share Posted November 1, 2022 I've been wanting to join the 501st for years and I'm finally beginning to seriously explore what kind of a commitment this would be. I'm 20 years old and I'm going to college at the moment, so money and time are a bit short, but I am willing to begin the process of building my costume as a sort of side hobby, even if it takes a really long time. (I'm pretty set on the shoretrooper btw). The only thing I still lack is information. I would love it if somebody could give me some pointers on the wisest way to proceed. I might have access to a 3d printer at my university, so I could print armor pieces, but I'm not sure if that would be the most cost effective approach, as I'm not sure if it would be better to make most of the costume myself or order most of it online. In short, I just need to get started and I don't know how. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikerScout007 Posted November 1, 2022 Share Posted November 1, 2022 Hey Charles A lot of it comes down to budget, and the Shoretrooper is definitely one of our pricier kits. Printing will save you money, but you also have to factor in the work involved in assembling all the pieces together, sanding, bondoing and removing the print lines. The best place to start is at our Shoretrooper HQ. There we have a list of vendors and other important things you need to know: http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/forum/116-shoretrooper-hq/ Then, it would probably help you to check out our WIP threads. Then you can get an idea of what is involved in building one from start to finish, and the kinds of issues that come up: http://forum.501stpathfinders.com/index.php?/forum/129-shoretrooper-wip/ As an example, here is my Shoretrooper build thread: It took me several months -- I ordered an armor kit from Imperial Surplus and soft goods from various makers, but there was still a lot of work involved. Hope this helps get you on your way! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aradun Posted November 2, 2022 Share Posted November 2, 2022 Adding to the above Charles, consider connecting with your local 501st Garrison. For Utah, it’s the Alpine Garrison: https://ut501st.com If you’re attending school out of state, you should be able to connect with the local unit near you. Check here for unit listings: https://www.501st.com/members/displayUnits.php This might give you access to local assistance as you work on your build. Of course the armory team here will always be a solid resource you can turn to as you work on things, so don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moostic Posted November 3, 2022 Share Posted November 3, 2022 Hi Charles! I just started my own 3D printed shoretrooper build, so maybe my experiences so far can be of some value to you: 3D printing can be a very solid choice depending on your circumstance, but be prepared for all the extra work that involves. Prints take a long time; you'll spend hundreds of hours on your prints, and you will have print failures from time to time. Keep your chin up and learn from your mistakes! Price wise, the biggest thing to surprise me was actually the soft bits. You'll save money from printing (just don't cheap out on filament) but once you start looking at good shirts, pants, boots, gloves, etc. it starts to add up quickly. You've picked an excellent costume here, wishing you the best of luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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